What if you follow the advice to remove all distractions from your environment so you can focus on the task at hand and you “still” find your mind wandering. Although silencing your phone and removing other distractions is a helpful suggestion, it is often not enough for many of us who struggle to focus and sustain attention when we need it most.
Why do we struggle to maintain attention and focus?
Attention spans have been shortening for many decades. Gloria Mark’s book, Attention Span, takes a deep dive as to why our attention spans have greatly diminished. She offers practical solutions about how to adapt to living with technology and still achieve wellbeing.
Although technology and the habits we have developed as a result of technology is a major reason we struggle to sustain attention, it is not the only reason.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): some people struggle with inattention, are easily distracted and struggle to organize tasks. This remains true even if you remove all distractions, including mobile devices.
Not enough sleep: When you don’t get enough sleep, it impacts your ability to focus, pay attention and your productivity levels.
Dysregulation: If you upset, anxious, overwhelmed or stressed at moderate to high levels, it becomes very difficult to focus on the task at hand. Your nervous system is continually trying to help you in any situation you are in. If you are in the moderate to high levels of dysregulation, the thinking part of your brain isn’t able to do it’s job as well as when you are calm. This is due to your nervous system prioritizing the need to help you feel safe over focusing on a cognitive functions.
Poor diet: Eating a healthy diet can improve our concentration and attention span. Eating sugary foods or fast food is often what we turn to when we are stressed or wanting comfort, but offer very little in terms of nutrition.
Chronic pain: People who experience chronic pain often experience a reduced ability to maintain attentional focus. They also struggle to manage their stress and often do not get enough sleep. Being in chronic pain is exhausting and discouraging.
There are many self help strategies and coping skills offered in each of the categories listed above. However, if you are still struggling after trying to implement all the suggestions you have been given, try Bi-Tapp.
Bi-Tapp improves attentional focus and regulation
Suggestions such as: get enough sleep, manage your stress and eat healthy, are practical and very good. However, habits are stronger than intentions and we often fall back to old stress patterns and habits when we are stressed or dysregulated for any length of time. In addition, ADHD is real and more is often needed than the suggestion to remove distractions, although this is helpful.
Bi-Tapp will help lower your stress levels and will help improve attentional focus. (1, 2) All you need to do is hold or wear the tappers and let the tappers do the bilateral tapping for you. The tappers work in the background, so you can focus on the task at hand.
Eric B, LCSW, who works at two elementary schools, was asked “How do you know the students are benefiting from the tappers?” Eric stated, “I can share an example. We had a couple of students struggling to complete one or two sheets of work and staying on task for more than 5 minutes. After setting them up with the tappers, they were able to work for 20 minutes straight and stay focused.”
Sharon, who is a writer and has pressure to meet deadlines on a regular basis, uses the tappers to help her focus.
Conclusion
The tappers are used by all ages to provide anxiety relief and to improve focus. The good news about the tappers is when you feel calmer, you are able to focus better, sleep better, make better food choices and reduce your chronic pain. When you are calm and focused, you are able to function and perform at your best.
References
- Mahyuvi T & Ramadhan S.C. (January 2025) Exploring the Effectiveness of Self-Healing Butterfly Technique for Anxiety Management: A Systematic Review. SEHATMAS Jurnal Ilmiah Kesehatan Masyarakat 4(1): 240-250.
- Reichel V, Sammer G, Gruppe H, Hanewald B, Garder R, Bloß C, Stingl M. (2021) Good Vibrations: Bilateral tactile stim1lation decreases startle magnitude during negative imagination and increases skin conductance response for positive imagination in an affective startle reflex paradigm. European Journal of Traumaa & Dissocation 5 (2021) 100197.
Additional Reading
- Fall asleep and stay asleep with Bi-Tapp
- Tapping into Relief: Using Bi-Tapp for Pain Management
- Bi-Tapp assists with social and emotional learning of students